Cooking Basics For Dummies, 5th Edition

Get started cooking now with Cooking Basics For Dummies, 5^th Edition!

Are you looking to dig yourself out of microwave dinners and learn the ropes of home cooking? Cooking Basics For Dummies, 5^th Edition takes the intimidation out of cooking and helps you start cultivating your culinary prowess in no time. From learning fundamental cooking techniques like dicing, chopping, and saut?ing to creating delicious, easy-to-follow recipes, you’ll discover how to cook up crowd-pleasing meals the whole family will enjoy—all without breaking a sweat!

Even if you’ve never cracked an egg, this friendly, practical guide gives you all the ingredients to become a superior home cook. In plain English, it explains step-by-step how to master popular cooking techniques, such as dicing vegetables, hard boiling an egg, making quick and delicious sauces, planning menus, stocking your pantry, and so much more.

• Packed with more than 150 easy-to-follow recipes for every meal of the day, from mouth-watering mains to sumptuous sides to delectable desserts
• Helps you master grilling, slow cooking, baking, roasting, pressure cooking, and more
• Includes tips on adapting meals to meet the latest dietary trends, such as low-sugar, low-sodium, low-fat, plant-based, and vegetarian diets
• Covers shopping at farmer’s markets and buying organic foods

Cooking Basics For Dummies, 5^th edition is for every beginner cook or polished chef looking for a refresher on breathing new life into home-cooked meals.

Table of Contents

Part I: Getting Started with Cooking
Chapter 1: Cooking with Confidence
Chapter 2: Investing in the Essential Tools
Chapter 3: The Bare Necessities: Stocking Your Pantry and Fridge

Part II: Know Your Techniques
Chapter 4: The Cutting Edge: Working with Knives
Chapter 5: Boiling, Poaching, and Steaming
Chapter 6: Simply Sautéing
Chapter 7: Braising and Stewing: Slow and Seductive
Chapter 8: Roasting Poultry, Meats, and Veggies
Chapter 9: Coals and Coils: Grilling and Broiling
Chapter 10: Baking Basics

Part III: Expand Your Repertoire
Chapter 11: Conquering Breakfast
Chapter 12: Super Soups and Savory Salads
Chapter 13: From Sides to Mains: Great Grains and Pastas
Chapter 14: Making Sensational Sauces: Fear No More
Chapter 15: Delectable Desserts

Part IV: Now You’re Cooking! Real Menus for Real Life
Chapter 16: Taking It Easy with One-Pot Meals
Chapter 17: Making More (and Better) for Less
Chapter 18: Going Global with Asian and Mediterranean Dishes
Chapter 19: Quick Picks: Cooking with Fewer Ingredients
Chapter 20: Summertime Soirees
Chapter 21: Feeding Holiday Hordes: Festive Winter Menus

Part V: The Part of Tens
Chapter 22: Ten Ways to Think Like a Chef
Chapter 23: Ten Common Cooking Myths

Appendix A: Glossary of 100 (Plus) Common Cooking Terms
Appendix B: Common Substitutions, Abbreviations, and Equivalents